Door-latch.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED APR. 21, 1908.

llllllllr II c. J. WOODWARD.

DOOR LATCH.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. I 1907.

I ll lllllllllllllll'l'llllllll IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII lllllllI/IIIII. 'IIIIIflI/A'IIII II'IIIIII IIIII. 'IIAVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 8 E S S M W W PATENTED APR. 21, 1908.

G. J. WOODWARD.

DOOR LATCH.

APPLICATION IILED AUG. 1, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES I ma /0/ 2 56 a HM ;H||// 03/ a; H I minimum INVENT 1'? RNE rs CHARLES J. WOODWARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

7 'DOOR-LATCH.

No. sense Specification of Letters Patent- Patented April 21 race.

# Application filed August 1, 19 0 7. Serial No. 386,589,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. WOD-. WARD, .a citizen of the United States, residin the borough of Brooklyn, in the city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door- Latches, of which the following is a specification. 4 e The object of my invention is to provide a sim 'le and im roved form of spring nightlatc which wi l ofier but little resistance to the closing of a door, and which will at the same time afford an absolutely secure look when in closed position which will insure against the improper opening of the door by springing or wedgmg back the latch from the keeper. In effect my improvements provide a dead latch which will spring into locked position.

To this endmy improved door latch comprises a sliding bolt normally held against movement by a suitable tumbler, in combination with an automatically locking latchmember, preferably in the form of a rotatable latching wheel mounted'uponthe sliding bolt and. acted u on by a spring operated tumbler construct'e' and arran ed to permit the free step by step rotation of the latching device in one direction and prevent the rotation of the latching device in the opposite direction. With this improved form of latch it will be understood that in the closing operation the latching device will rotate into locked engagement with the keeper upon the door jamb, and that the unlocking operation is accomplished by some hand operated device acting u on the main locking .tumbler and sliding b0 t for withdrawing the bolt and latching device away from the keeper. The sliding bolt of the latch is provided with suitable springs for retaining it in its locked position, the tumbler device being arranged to lock the bolt in the same position. The rotary latching device is preferably in the form of a cycloidal wheel formed with a lurality (preferably three) of arms or'memherswhlchsucces'sivel act as keeper engaging members and tuinb er en aged members. The s ring operated tumbler for the rotatable atching device is referably formed of a. sliding block mounted in a suitable guideway or recess upon the locking bolt and formed with angular faces which en age the arms or, members of the rotary atchin wheel. This latching tumbler is -mounted upon the sliding bolt at an angle to the lonitudinal axis of the bolt, sothat one of its inclined faces will be engaged by an arm of the rotary latching device in the closing movement of the latch to force the tumbl r inwardly to .permit the rotation of the latching device into engagement with the keeper,

while the other inclined face of the latchin tumbler is presented against the rear edge 0 one of the arms of the latching wheel in the locking movement to act as an auxiliary device for uickly completing the movement of the late ing wheel into locked engagement with the keeper of the lock. In locked position one edge of the latching tumbler enga es the rear face of one of the holding the latching Wheel secure y against rearward rotation. Other forms of tumblers or retaining dogs may be used for locking the rotating latch Wheel in one diatchin arms or e rection while permitting it to rotate in the other direction, such for instance as a simple pivoted dog or pawl arranged in OPGIittlVG relation to the latch wheel. I have found, however, that the spring operated sliding tumbler produces the bestresults.

.The locking. tumbler for the main sliding bolt of thelatch may be of an approved construction, but I prefer to emp 0y 9. novel form of tumbler invented by me and com rising a suitable stop mounted either upon t e latch case or the sliding bolt, and a tumbler member SJ ported upon a pin'or bolt in operative re ation to said stop and movable parallel with its su porting pin or axis against the action of a retaining spring throu h a cam device operated by the hand whee or knob of the latch. It will be understood-that when the tumbler stop is mounted upon the latch bolt, the supportin pin or axis for the tumbler must be mounte upon the lock case, and when the stop is mountedupon the case the supporting axisfor-the tumbler must be mounted upon the sliding bolt.

In order that my-invention may be fully understood, I will first describe the same with reference to the accompanying draw ings, and afterwards point out the novelty in the annexed claims.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a horizontal tional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. f

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are detail perspective views of parts of my improved latch. Fig. 7 is a Referring first to the form of latch illu strated in Figs. 1 .to 6 of the drawings, which is the preferred form of my invention, 1 is the case within which the operative arts of my improved latch areinounted. T 's case 1 isformed with interior guide walls. 2 and 3 extending longitudinally of the case and forming the central longitudinak'gui'de-way or channel 5 in which is freely mounted the longitudinally movable sliding bolt 10.- v

The sliding bolt is preferably formed, for

' the sake of convenience in manufacture; in

two sections, which separate on the line 10' in Figs. 2' and 7. The two sections of the sliding bolt are secured together by rivets or screws indicated at 11 in Fig. 1. One of the boltsections has a solid central portion, while the other bolt section is recessed to receive with the post or stop 30.

end to a the tumbler of the rotating latching wheel hereinafter referred to. i 4

Projecting rearwardly from'the main por-.

tion of each section of the sliding bolt 1s a.

ment of the double rocker arm 20, keyed to the rotary spindle 21 which is suitably" journaled in t e lock case and is provided at its outer end with the operating knurled rality of radial locking arms 65*, each one ofwhich armshas a forwardly presented hook hand wheel 25. By rotating the hand wheel 25 it 'will be observed that the rocker arm 20 engaging one of the shoulders 15 will draw the bolt 10 back into the lockcase. between the two arms 15. of the sliding bolt is a tumbler stop or post 30.with which thebetween the hub portion 36' and the head 38" of the supporting post 37 is a s iral spring 39 which normally holds the tum ler in locked position, the end of the tumbler arm restmg in this normal position in engagement One edge of the tumbler arm 35 is cutout as indicated at 35 to form a cam face with which a pin or lug 4O esassa The pin 46 head 49 carrying a limiting and ositioning pin or lug 50 projecting inward yfrom its Located p 1 ofthe drawings, and loosel engages. This pin or lug 40 extends radially from the rotary spindle 21 so that when said spindle is operated by the hand wheel 25, the

1n or lug impinging against the cam face 35 will shift the tumbler arm 35 parallel with the supporting post 37 so as to take the engaged end of the tumbler arm out of the path of the tumbler sto the sliding bolt '10 from the locking action .of the tumbler and permit it tobe moved. in the lock case by the action already described of the rocker arm 20 upon one of the shoulders 15'. It will, of course, be understood that there must be lost motion between the rocker arm 20 and the shoulders 15" sufficient to permit the pin or lug 40 to disengage the tumbler fron the post 30 prior to the sliding action of the bolt. A pin 41 projecting from the lock case rests above the tumbler arm 35 for loosely confining it in operative relation to the rotary spindle 21.

Upon the outer face of the lockcase 1,is a recessed boss 45 in which is mounted a rotatable and longitudinally movable piri 46 carrying an annularv collar 47 for confining an or post 30 so as to free expansion s iral spring 48 upon the in 46.

as a milled operating w eel or inner face and adapted to engage in a recess 45" within the boss 45 to ermit the spring 48 to ress the pin 46 inwar ly into engagement Wit a locking 0 eniIig 51 formed in the sliding bolt 10; ll e purpose of this is to re-- tain the sliding bolt in unlocked osition when it is desired to leave the door ,un atched. Each of the sections of the sliding bolt 10 loo is formed with a forwardly projecting plate J supporting an inwardly projecting journal pin 61. The two plates 60 of the sliding bolt are arranged parallel to receive the rotatable latching wheel which has an axial oplening 66 freel journaled upon the ins 61. T 's latching w eel 65 is formed wit a pluor nose 65 formed by recessing the forwardly olt 10 in front of a rectangular; recess or pocket 70' formedin one of the sections of the sliding bolt. This recess or ocket 70 is presented at a slight angle to the ongitudinal axis of the sliding bolt as best shown in Fig. mounted in said. pocket or recess 70 is as iding tumbler block formed with the outwardly presented inclined faces 75 and 7 5 sloping in opposite directions from the angular end 75. .T

e rear end of the tumbler block 75 is bored out as indicated in dotted lines to receive ,the end of an expansion spring 76 which is confined between the bored end of block.75 and the inner end of the rectangular recessresented face of each arm as indicated at 65. The rotatable locking wheel 65 is supported between the plates 60 of the slidingtumbler block 75 a spring tendency to move outwardly in its recess or ocket.

The lock is designed to e secured to 'a door as shown in Fig. 1 by suitable wood screws, one of which is indicated at 80, said screws passing throu h 0 enings81 in the lock case mto the door he door j amb J constructed as usual, has secured to its inner face a keeper 85 having a heavy striking rib or portion 86 which is presented in proper'position to engage the flat rearwardly-presented faces 65 of the locking arms of the rotary latching wheel 65, to cause the latching wheel to rotate ast the striking portion 86 of the keeper into ocked engagement therewith as shown in Fig. '1 'o'f'the drawings, in which the parts .of the latch are in normal locked position.

In this normal position of the arts the short inclined face 7 5 of tumbler b ock 75 rests in engagement with one of the noses 65 of latching wheel 65, and the inner edge 75 of the tumbler block rests in engagement with the rear face 65 of one locking arm 65.

of tumbler block 75 with the rear face 65 of the latching wheel, will prevent the rearward ,rotation of the latching wheel, while the enidly held against rotation in either direction and it is thrown to, it will be'observe that by these means. served that the main locking tumbler 35 in engagement with the tumbler post 30 will firmly hold the bolt 10 in its locked osition, so that the latch will be securely loc ed and can only be released by the operation of the hand wheel 25 which Withdraws; the bolt 10 and with it the rotary latching wheel 65;

Assuming that the door has been 0 ened when the face 65 of one of the locking arms 65 of wheel 65 engages the outer strikin portion 86 of keeper 85 (it being understoo that the bolt in'closing operatlon is firmly held against motion in the casing by its controlling tumbler) causing latching wheel 65 to rotate forwardly, or in the direction fo lowing .the noses 65 the nose 6.5 which at the'moment is in engagement with ,the in-' clinedface 75 of latch controlling tumbler 75, causes tumbler 75 to move inwardly in its recess 01'" pocket to permit said rotary motion of the latching wheel. This rotatin motion into locked position causes the hoo end of the locking arm following the arm which engaged the striking portion of the keeper to be moved into engagement with the. under face of the keeper, and the hook end of the arm which engpged the striking portion of the kee r to e moved around into en agement Wit the cam faces 75"-of the tumb 1:. The

In this .locked position of the latch it will-be observed that the engagement of the edge 75 Furthermore it will be obthe pointed end of the tumbler block 75. i

This accelerating action of the tumbler upon the rotating latch wheel insures the quick latching of the door, it being understood that the moment the latching wheel is in proper locked enga ement with the keeper, tumbler block 75 wi 1 spring forward to securely enga e the tumbler wheel and prevent all possi-' billty of the rebounding of the latch.

' In Fi s.'7 and. 8 I have shown 'a slightly modifie form of main locking tumbler for my improved lock. In this form of the tum bler mechanism 'it.will be observed that the tumbler stop or post is secured to the easing while the tumbler arm or plate 91 is projected rearwardly from the hub 'ortion 92 slidingly mounted upon a pin or olt 93 secured in one ofthe arms 15 of the bolt 10. A s ring 94 is arranged between the arm 15 and the tumbler 91, 92, for normally holding the same in position to engage the stop 90. A guide pin 95 tumbler 91 an moves freely ina socket 96 in the arm 15. The rotary controlling s indle 21 is formeiiwith a squared cam which normally rests in engagemen with the tumbler 91, so that u on the rotation of spindle 21 said cam mem er-97 will engage tum bler arm 91 and move the tumbler upon its (projects from the face of the em er 97 v supporting in 93 so as to disengage the tum bler fromt e stop 90 and free the bolt pre- Fig. 8 shows the modified form of tum-bler detached from the rest of the mechanism.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a modified form of tumbler dog for engaging and controlling the rotating latching Wheel 65. In this form of k the device I emplo a dog 1 00 pivoted to the bolt 10 at 101 and eld by a spring 102 in engagement with the lock 1'03; In this normal position of the dog 100 it will be observed that its flattened end 100 engages the rear face of one of the locking arms of locking wheel 65 and prevents the rearward rotation of said lockingwheel. The forwardmotion of the locking wheel when the door is being closed, causes one of the locking arms to press against a curved face 100 to move the dog against the action of its spring out of the path of the rotating locking arm.

- The operation of my improved latching mechanism has been explained above in connection with the descri tionof the structure. The importance of t e improved structure is due mainl to its simplicity and to its secur ity. The c osing action'of the latch is very rapid and on this account there is no danger of the rebounding of a door which is thrown &

closed with too much force.

inent of the rotating latching wheel with its rection by its contro 'ng tumble and against motion in the other direction b its engagement with the keeper. 7

A very important feature of my invention is the exact shape of the rotatable latching wheel 65. It will be observed that each locking arm 65 has a rearwardly presented strikin face 65 extending approximately paralle to the radius of the locking wheel, and a forwardly presented semi-circular cut out or recessed face 65. The striking face 65 of one locking arm merges into the cut out face 65 of'the succeeding locking arm. ,By thisshaping of the locking arms of the latching wheel it is possible to provide a very close and accurate engagement between the latching wheel and the striking nose of the keeper, since the recessed'fron't faces of the locking arms permit the'movement of the locking arms into locked position by the combined rotation of the latching wheel and closin motion ofthe door upon which the lock is mounted. I The .terms forwardly resented and rearwardly presented erein employed refer to the arrangement'of the parts with respect to the direction of rotation of the locking wheel.

WhatIclaimis: 4 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a suitable casing member,

' and a boltmemb'er sliding therein, with a tumbler sto mounted upon one of said members, a tumb er -supporting pin mounted upon the other of said members, a'bolt-controlling tumbler mounted uponsaid pin and movable parallel with the axis thereof into and out of engagement with said tumbler stop, and means for operating said tumbler and bolt member.

2. In a device of the character described, the-combination of a suitable casing member,

and a bolt member-sliding therein, with a tumbler stop mounted upon onefiof said members, a tumbler-supporting pin mounted upon the other of said members, a bolt-controlling tumbler slidingly mounted upon said pin and movable parallel with the axis thereof into and out of. engagement with said tumbler stop, a spring engaging said tumbler to yieldingly hol w it 1n en aged position, an operating spindle, acam evice actuated by said spindle for shifting the tumbler upon its supporting pin,:.and means uponsaid spindle for operating the bolt member.

The arrange- I 3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a suitable casing member, and a bolt member sliding therein, with a tumbler stop mounted upon one of 'said members, a headed tumblersupporting pin mounted upon the other of said members, a.

bolt-controlling tumbler having a bored hub which is slidingly mounted upon said pin and movable thereon parallel Wit the axis thereor into and out of engagement with sa1d tumbler stop, a spring mounted upon said pin between its, head and said tumbler to yieldingly hold the tumbler in engagement with said stop, an'operating spindle, a cam device actuated by said spindle for shifting the tumbler upon its supporting pin, and v means carried by said spindle for engaging and moving the bolt in the casing.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of 'a locking bolt, "means normally locking said bolt, and an automatically'locking latch-member suitably mounted upon said bolt.

5. In a device of the characterdescribed, the combination of a locking bolt, means normally locking said bolt, a latch-member mountedupon the bolt, anda latching tumbler engaging and controlling said latch.- member. v

6. In a device of the character described, thecombination of a locking bolt, a tumbler adapted to prevent motion of said bolt, a

rotatable latching wheeljournaled upon the bolt,'and a latchin tumbler mounted upon 'thebolt and engaging said latching wheel.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a locking bolt, means normally preventing motion of said bolt, and

an automatically locking latching wheel journaled upon said bolt and formed with a plurality of locking arms each one of which has a forwardly presented recessed face and' a rearwardly presented approximately radial face. 8.v In a device of'the character described,

the combination of a locking bolt, means normally re'ven-ting motion of said bolt, a rotatable l atching wheel journaled upon said bolt and formedwith. a' plurality of locking arms having forwardly presented recessed faces and rearwardly lpresented radial faces, and a latching tun b trolling said latching wheel.

9. In-a device of the character described, the combination, of a locking bolt, means normally preventing motion of said bolt, and

er engaging and coniii;

an automaticallylocking latching wheel journaled upon said bolt and formed with a plurality ofapproximately radial locking arms, each one of said arms having a forwardly presented recessed face and a rearwardly presented approximately radial face, the. recessed face of one locking arm merging into the approximately radial face of an adjacent a locking arm.

the combination of a locking bolt, latching V device journaled upon the .bolt, and a latching tumbler mounted upon the bolt, and engaging said latching device and adapted to prevent movement in one direction only.

1'1. In a device of the character described,

the combination of alocking bolt, a locking tumbler adapted to prevent motion of said bolt, means for operating said locking tumbler and bolt, a latching device journaled upon the bolt, and a spring operated latching tumbler mountedupon the bolt and engaging said latching device and adapted to prevent the movement of said latching device in one direction only.

12. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a locking-bolt, and means ,normally preventing motion of said bolt with an automatically locking latch suitably mounted upon said bolt, and means engaging said latch to accelerate its locking movement 13. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a locking bolt, a locking, tumbler adapted to prevent motion ofsaid bolt, a rotatable latching wheel journaled 'uponthe bolt, and a spring operated latching tumbler mounted upon the bolt and engaging said latching wheel and adapted to normally prevent rearward rotation of said latching wheel and to accelerate the forward rotation of said Wheel when operated. i

'14. The combination of a bolt, amain locking tumbler securing said bolt against motion, a latching wheel journaled upon said bolt and formed witha plurality of approximately radial locking arms, a latching tumbler mounted upon the bolt and engaging said latching wheel, and means for operating said it 40 main locking tumbler andbolt.

, '15. The combination of a sliding bolt, means normally securing said bolt against motion, a latch ng wheel journaled upon said bolt and formed with a plurality of approximately radial locking arms, a spring oper-.

ated tching tumbler mounted upon the bolt and normally engaging oneofsaid latching arms to lock said wheel against backward rotation, said latching tumbler having a cani '50 face withwhieh said latching arms engage their forward 'movement to move the tumbler back out of their path, and means for operating said bolt.

16. The combination of a bolt, and means '55 for operating said bolt, with adatching wheel journaled u on said bolt and formed with a plurality o approximatel radial locking arms, a spring operated atching tumbler mountedupon the bolt and normally engaging one of said latching arms, to lock said wheel against backward rotation, and a cam face upo'nsaid latching tumbler ada ted to engage said latching arms for acce crating the forward lockingmotion of the latching --wheel.

. rality o radial looking 1 7. The combination of a belt, a maid lock- ,ihg tumbler securing said bolt against motion, and means for operatings-aid locking tumbler and bolt, with a latching wheel journaled upon said bolt and formed with a plurality of approximately radial locking arms, an angular longitudinally movable tumbler mounted u on the bolt in operative relation to said late ing wheel and formed with. two inclined-faces and a wheel-lockin edge, and a spring for operating said latching tumbler.

18. The combination of a locking belt, a main locking tumbler therefor, a rotary latching wheel journaled u on -said bolt and formed with a-plurality of ocking arms, and a spring operated'sliding tumbler mounted upon said bolt and formed with angular faces'which are adapted to engage said latching wheel. j

19. The combination of a lock casing, a locking bolt slidingly mounted in said casing and formed with a tumbler-receiving recess, a rotary latching wheel journaled u on said bolt and formed with a plurality 0 locking arms, and a spring operated sliding tumbler mounted in the recess of said bolt and formed with an ular faces which are adapted to engage sai latching wheel.

20; The combination of a locking bolt having means for normally securing it locked 5 position, with a rotary latching wheel journaled upon said bolt and formed with a plurality of radial locking arms, each of said locking arms being recessed or cut out upon its forward face, a tumbler mounted upon 100 the locking bolt and ada ted to enga e and control sai-.l latching w eel, and a eeper with which said latching wheel engages.

21. The combination of a locking bolt having means for normally securing it in locked 105 position, with a rotary latching wheel journaled u on said bolt and formed with a lurality o radial lockin arms, and a turn ler mounted upon the loc ing bolt and ada ted to engage and control said latching w eel, 110 said sliding tumbler being mounted upon the locking bolt at an-angle to its longitudinal ax1s.-

. 22. The combination of a locking bolt having means for normally securing it in locked in position, with a rotary latching wheel journaled-u on said bolt and formedwith a luarms, and a tum ler mounted upon the loc ing bolt, and ada ted to engage and 'control said latching w eel, 120 said latching wheel being journaled at the 1 forward end of the locking bolt, and said sliding tumbler being arranged at an angle to the lon itudinal axis of the bolt and engaging sai latching wheel to one side of its center of rotation. g

23. The combination of a locking bolthaving means for normally securing it in locked position, with a rotary latching wheel journaled uponsaid bolt and formed with a plu- 3 longitudinal aXis of the bolt, a sliding tumformed with oppositely inclined angular rality of radial locking" arms, atumbler re- 1 ceiving recess or pocket formed in the locking bolt and extending at an angle to the bler mountedin said recess or pocket and faces at its engaglng end, and a springoperating upon said sliding tumbler. 1 24. The combination -of a locking bolt formed of'two longitudinally separated sections with a journal pin projecting inwardly from each section, with a latching device journaled upon said pins, and a tumbler mounted upon the locking bolt and adapted to engage said latching device. Q

25. The combination of a locking bolt, formed of two longitudinally separated sections with. a journal pin projecting inwardly from each section, and a tumbler receiving recess or pocket formed inone of said sections and closed by the other of-said sections, with a latching device journaled upon said pins, I

and a sliding tumbler mounted in said recess orpocket and engaglng said latching device.

26. The combination'of a locking bolt havmg means for normally securing it-in locked position, said locking bolt being formed of formed inone of said sections and closed by 1 the other of said sections, -with a rotary latching wheel journaled upon said pins and formed with a plurality of radial -locking arms, a slidingtumbler mounted in said re-' cess .or pocket, and formed with oppositely inclined angular faces at its'engaging end,

vand a spring operated upon said sliding tumbler.-.-

Witnesses:

. KNIGHT, P.'F. SONNEK.

oHARLEs J; WooDWARD; i 

